wild mustang Archives ⋆ The Whoa Podcast

Bill Oliver Master Horseman

April 25, 2023 by John Leave a Comment

Bill Oliver Horsemanship: A Lifetime of Experience with Horses

Bill Oliver has dedicated his life to working with horses. He grew up in Eureka, California, where he developed a love for riding, packing, and hunting in the Cascade Mountains. His passion for horses only grew as he moved to Wyoming and worked for Wilderness outfitters after high school.

In 1991, Bill joined the Forestry Service as a Lead Packer. He was already skilled in packing and riding, but he wanted to learn more about horses. That’s when he came across trainers Monte Roberts and the Dorrance Brothers. Bill realized he had much to learn from them and their approach to Natural Horsemanship.

With his newfound knowledge and experience, Bill retired from the Forest Service and trained horses for the Top-Notch Horse Sale in Cody. It was then that he realized he had a unique style of Natural Horsemanship that he wanted to share with others.

Oliver Horsemanship: Sharing Knowledge and Experience

Bill and his wife Jody formed Oliver Horsemanship, a company that aims to educate and share their expertise with others. Bill’s approach to Natural Horsemanship emphasizes the horse’s physical and mental well-being. It focuses on creating a willing partnership between horse and rider through understanding and respect.

This year, Bill has a full schedule of clinics that range from basic horsemanship to roping and colt starting. These clinics provide a great opportunity for horse enthusiasts to learn from a master horseman who has spent his life working with horses.

Basic Horsemanship Clinic: Building a Solid Foundation

They designed the Basic Horsemanship Clinic for riders who are just starting or those who want to refresh their skills. This clinic covers everything from proper horse handling and care to riding techniques. Participants will learn how to establish a bond with their horse and develop a solid foundation that they can build on.

Roping Clinic: Learning the Ropes

They designed the Roping Clinic for riders who want to learn the art of roping. Participants will learn the basics of roping and how to safely and effectively use a rope. This clinic is perfect for those who want to try their hand at ranch work or rodeo events.

Colt Starting Clinic: Starting Young Horses on the Right Foot

They designed the Colt Starting Clinic for riders who want to start young horses on the right foot. Participants will learn how to properly introduce a horse to riding and how to develop a strong foundation for future training. This clinic is perfect for those who want to train their own horses or start a career in horse training.

Bill Oliver’s lifetime of experience with horses has made him a master horseman. His dedication to Natural Horsemanship and his unique style of training have led him to form Oliver Horsemanship with his wife Jody. Their company provides a great opportunity for horse enthusiasts to learn from a true expert in the field.

Links Heard on this Episode

Bill Oliver Horsemanship Website
Bill Oliver on YouTube

Bill Oliver Facebook
Instagram @billoliverhorsemanship

Join the Journey

Whether you’re a seasoned horse owner or just starting out, we invite you to join us on this journey. Share your challenges, triumphs, and everyday experiences with others. We believe these stories can help others in their horse journey.

If you have a story, you would like to share, you can reach out to us through our Facebook or Instagram page. Alternatively, you can email John@WhoaPodcast.com to be a part of the show.

Thanks for listening.

John & Ranae

Episode #215

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

Checkout My YouTube Channel John Harrer & Horses

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Mustang, The Movie

March 19, 2019 by John Leave a Comment

The Mustang, The Movie

Matthias Schoenaerts stars as Roman Coleman in Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre’s THE MUSTANG, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Tara Violet Niami / Focus Features

We talk to French filmmaker and director of the just-released movie, The Mustang, Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre. If you’re a listener to this show, we know you love horses. However, many of you have had some tough horses to deal with. It doesn’t matter whether your horse is a wild mustang or one of the domestic breeds, one thing we’ve probably all had to deal with is our relationship with the horse. The Mustang takes this relationship to the limit with a prison inmate and a tough-as-nails wild horse.

Back in August of 2017, we interviewed Joe Misner who runs the RCC Wild Horse Program for the Sacramento Sheriff’s office. We talked about the symbiotic relationship between the BLM Wild Horse Management and the prison system. In taking responsibility for the care and training of horses, these inmates learn not only horsemanship, but how their attitude, actions, and body language affects the world around them in both the horse world and the human world. The recidivism rate for inmates in the program is substantially lower than those in other programs. You would think more prisons would take advantage of this.

Exploring the Plot

In the movie The Mustang, a hardened, angry criminal – just looking to do his time and get out – is paired with a wild horse freshly plucked by the BLM and thrown into his own prison system. Now, it might be argued that neither the prisoner or the horse did anything other than what nature taught them to do, but they both found themselves in the same predicament – stuck behind the prison fences. Could they rely on one another to help them work their way through this situation?

Bruce Dern stars as Myles in Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre’s THE MUSTANG, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Tara Violet Niami / Focus Features

Director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre spent years researching and working on the script for this movie. We sat down over Skype on a recent afternoon and talked about what it was like making this movie. The Mustang was released last Friday and I know you will enjoy watching it. Also, check out the BLM website about their Wild Horse & Burro Program. Far too many horses in this country will spend their entire lives behind the fences of holding facilities.

Show Your Support

The Whoa Podcast is independently produced by John & Ranae Harrer. Show your support and keep us inspired to make more by visiting the Patreon Page . Help defray some of our expenses.

Become a Patron!

Contact Us

Our library contains well over 200 episodes now and you can find them all for free on iTunes, with our Android App in the Amazon store, and now Stitcher, or wherever podcasts are distributed. Get the Stitcher app and tell us how it works. We are on Google Play too! Find every episode and more about the show at whoapodcast.com. Please take a moment and join our email list. Get in on the conversation with Facebook and Twitter and Instagram– just look for WhoaPodcast.

You are a big part of why we do this podcast. We really love getting your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for the show. You can email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #139

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Spring Creek Basin Mustangs ~ TJ Holmes

September 5, 2017 by John Leave a Comment

Spring Creek Basin Mustangs with TJ Holmes

Cinch leads Corazon and Twister along a bench east of the county road in Spring Creek Basin on Oct. 20, 2007.

TJ Holmes has been visiting the Spring Creek Basin Mustangs since 2002. In 2007, she began documenting the herd. She is essentially the herd’s historian. She keeps track of births, deaths, band structure and so much more. If something happens in the Spring Creek Basin Mustang herd, TJ Holmes has probably documented it.

Working as a volunteer for the BLM, TJ Holmes acts as an advocate for the Spring Creek Basin Mustangs. Because she knows the horses so well and on an individual basis, she is an integral part of the herd management. TJ implements the herd’s PZP program on the Spring Creek Basin Mustangs. PZP is a birth control protocol that has kept the Mustang levels at a manageable level. Much of the PZP methods used on Mustangs was taught to TJ by her mentor, Jay Kirkpatrick of the Science and Conservation Center.

Wild Horse Organizations and Resources

Friends of the Mustangs

Mustang Heritage Foundation

Horses of the Little Book Cliffs

Become a BLM Volunteer

Wild Horse & Burro Volunteer Resource Center

TJ Holmes Photography

As an accomplished photographer, TJ chronicles the progress of the Spring Creek Basin mustangs on her blog, SpringCreekBasinMustangs.

Best Horse Practices Summit

Ranae and I are headed to Durango in October for the Best Horse Practices Summit. This intimate horse expo brings together experts from all aspects of horse behavior and is sure to add to our horse knowledge. The BHP Summit is limiting attendance to 200 people ensuring everyone gets the focus and attention they need. We are looking to take away valuable horsemanship tools from the Summit and hope to meet you there. You can register here.

Tell Us Your Problems

Have a problem with your horse? Do you have a favorite trainer you would like to hear from? Send us your question and the name of your favorite trainer and we’ll see if we can contact them and get you an answer. Email John@whoapodcast.com or call on our message line (661) 368-5530 (toll charges may apply).

Become a Patron!

Get Free Helpful Horse Tips

There is a “Join Our Email” list at the top of this page. Signup. Occasionally, I’ll send you something useful you can use to build a better relationship with your horse. Thanks!

Contact Us

We have well over 100 episodes up now and you can find them all for free on iTunes, with our Android App in the Amazon store, and now Stitcher, or wherever podcasts are distributed. Get the Stitcher app and tell us how it works. We are on Google Play too! You can also find every episode and more about the show at whoapodcast.com. Please take a moment and join our email list. Get in on the conversation with Facebook and Twitter and Instagram– just look for WhoaPodcast.

You are a big part of why we do this podcast. We really love getting your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for the show. You can email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #116

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Sacramento Wild Horse Program with Joe Misner

August 22, 2017 by John Leave a Comment

Sacramento Wild Horse Program with Joe Misner

Joe Misner has competed in 13 Extreme Mustang Makeovers. He placed in the top ten in 9 of those competitions. And, Joe Misner loves teaching what he has learned about wild horses. Joe is dedicated to helping America’s wild horses and prisoners looking to change the path of their life.

Joe Misner is the manager of the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center Wild Horse Program. He has developed a horsemanship program for inmates of the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department. The prisoners learn to train wild mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management. The horses are auctioned off and the proceeds go to the Mustang Heritage Foundation. It’s a win-win situation for both the inmates, wild mustangs, and Joe Misner.

The Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center’s next adoption sale is October 14 at 9 am. Find out all the information at Friends of R3C dot com.

Best Horse Practices Summit

Tell Us Your Problems

Become a Patron!

Get Free Helpful Horse Tips

There is a “Join Our Email” list at the top of this page. Signup. Occasionally, I’ll send you something useful you can use to build a better relationship with your horse. Thanks!

Contact Us

You are a big part of why we do this podcast. We really love getting your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for the show. You can email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #114

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Tom Hagwood More Than Mustang Millionaire

March 20, 2017 by John Leave a Comment

Tom Hagwood More Than Mustang Millionaire

Most people know Tom Hagwood because he won three straight events in Fort Worth including the Mustang Million. But, what many people may not know about Tom is how he came to his first BLM mustang. It was out of necessity. It was 2008 and the economy was in the dump. People weren’t paying to have their horses trained. Tom Hagwood needed to work, but didn’t have a horse. He picked up a little mustang from the BLM. After thirteen rides, he put the horse to work.

The horse not only impressed Tom, but he impressed others as well. When one of Tom’s friends suggested he enter a mustang competition, Tom scoffed. But friends convinced him he was good enough to make some money at it and Tom gave it a try. In a classic story of rags to riches, Tom Hagwood won the Mustang Million on a horse named Merv.

I caught up with Tom at his ranch in Powell, Wyoming with his wife Arianne, and daughter Tommi Jean. We talked about the secrets to winning a mustang competition, horsemanship, and life in general. He also tells me how to perfect his signature turnaround.

Links Mentioned on This Episode

Tom Hagwood Facebook Page

Tom Hagwood on YouTube

Get Free Helpful Horse Tips

There is a “Join Our Email” list at the top of this page. Signup. Each week I’ll send you something useful you can use to build a better relationship with your horse. Thanks!

Contact Us

You are a big part of why we do this podcast. We really love getting your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for the show. You can email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Become a Patron!

Episode #92

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS